Asda has announced a £10 million investment to upgrade more than 180 of its in-store cafés, with a comprehensive refresh programme scheduled to be completed by the end of October.

The project, led by Asda’s long-standing partner Compass Group, will introduce a new interior design aimed at creating a more relaxed, coffee shop-style atmosphere. As part of the transformation, cafés will feature digital menu screens and table-ordering capabilities, while retaining a staffed till for customer convenience.

The overhaul will also bring significant changes to the food and beverage offer. The updated menu will retain long-standing customer favourites such as full English breakfasts, fish and chips, lasagne, jacket potatoes and burgers, while introducing a variety of new dishes.

Asda has confirmed that its popular 'Kids Eat for £1' meal deal will continue to be available throughout the café estate. The children's menu includes dishes such as penne pasta with meatballs, a vegan hidden veg pasta meal, fish fingers, chicken nuggets and an all-day breakfast. Healthier sides, including peas or salad as an alternative to chips, are also offered.

Ian McEvans, vice president of commercial food at Asda, said: “Cafés are an important part of the shopping experience for many of our customers, and this significant investment allows us to bring a new look and feel, as well as making improvements to the service and refreshing the menu. We have continued to demonstrate our commitment to our cafés over the years with popular deals like the Winter Warmer and Kids Eat for £1.

"This investment marks another exciting milestone for us and underlines our continued commitment to ensuring Asda is set up for long-term success at the heart of communities.”

Andrew Jones, managing director at One Retail, part of Compass Group UK, added: “It’s great to continue our longstanding partnership with Asda, expanding to work across more stores and enhancing the offer with a significant rebrand and investment. The upgrade programme is set to introduce new technology, menu innovations and a new look and feel within the cafés. We look forward to getting started and to our continued work together to serve the Asda customer.”

The café investment forms part of a broader programme of upgrades across Asda’s estate.

The supermarket has also announced plans to invest £1.3 million in expanding its electric vehicle delivery fleet. The initiative includes the rollout of 112 new electric vans and the installation of charging infrastructure, which is expected to support more than one million deliveries by the end of the year. According to Asda, the new fleet will help save around 1,700 kg of CO₂ emissions per year per van.

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